UNM player's conduct now making headlines

Posted at: 11/06/2009 6:06 PM | Updated at: 11/06/2009 7:40 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

There's another cloud over UNM athletics— this time, it's the extremely rough conduct of a player on the womens soccer team that's made headlines.

It was UNM vs. BYU on Thursday, but Lobo player Elizabeth Lambert looked more like Jack Lambert.

The long-ago terror of the NFL was famous for rough stuff, but Elizabeth's conduct on the soccer field is getting major play on ESPN and the Internet, and the commentators are singing in the key of B-negative.

It comes on the heels of the Lobo football scandal, in which Coach Mike Locksley collared and maybe choked and punched an assistant coach.

UNM students were divided over whether the soccer episode further tarnishes the school's image.

"I mean it's sad that the Lobos get into the news for Locksley and now this - it makes us look awful," student Tim Mousseau said.

Student Ali Reades said, "You know, it's sports. It happens. I don't think it should reflect badly on the university."

Others say the video only shows only part of what happened.

"We don't know the whole story - I mean she probably shouldn't have done it - but we only see what's on the camera," student Lauren Lockett said.

Grad student Danny Hernandez said, "She kicked a girl in the face with a ball while she was down - that's pretty bad - I don't know what's going on with that girl but she's got a problem."

Student David Conway said, "It might be a black eye for UNM athletics - the negative things always get picked up."

The negative things do always get picked up— and they get replayed again and again and again.

The university's response came quickly on Friday— Lambert has been suspended indefinitely from the soccer team.

Her coach says she's a quality student-athlete, but her conduct crossed the line of fair play and good sportsmanship.

Lambert apologized in a statement, saying she accepts the punishment.

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